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Ohh, Erdtree, great Erdtree. The Golden Order itself, unwavering, stretched to the sky. - Stranded Soul
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The Erdtree (黄金樹, Ōgonju; lit. "Golden Tree") is a giant, gold-colored tree that towers above the Lands Between in Elden Ring. The Lands Between are blessed by the Elden Ring, which is the source of the Erdtree,[External 1] that symbolizes its presence.[External 2] It is the heart of the Golden Order.[1] The blessing granted by the Erdtree and consequently the Elden Ring, is represented by a golden light in the eyes of the inhabitants of the Lands Between,[2] known as the Grace of Gold.[3] Upon their deaths, the remembrances of demigods and greater champions, and other such powerful beings are hewn into the Erdtree.[4]
The Altus Plateau was considered to be the realm of the Erdtree,[5][6] and it was the belief of the people of the plateau that those born at the foot of the Erdtree were special.[7]
Overview[]
The Crucible[]
The Erdtree was created from the Crucible
- Main article: Crucible
The Crucible of life was the primordial matter that became the Erdtree and the place where all life was once blended together.[8][9][10][11] It was said to be close in nature to life itself,[12][13] and was represented by gold with a reddish tint—the color of homeward yearning.[14] The power of the Crucible was also held in the armor of the Crucible Knights,[15] and channeled by their weapons.[12]
Age of the Erdtree[]
The age of the Erdtree began with the Golden Order
The birth of the Erdtree coincided with the time of War Against the Giants.[16] Everything was once in opposition to the Erdtree, but it became the embodiment of Order through countless victories in war.[17] Following the defeat of the Fire Giants and their Fell God, and the confinement of the Flame of Ruin, Queen Marika declared the beginning of a new epoch, glistening with life, known as the Age of the Erdtree.[18] When the new age began, special blessings of the Erdtree were personally bestowed by Queen Marika herself.[19] Blessings once fell like tears from the Erdtree.[20] These tears were used to spread the faith, and were worshiped in the churches of all lands.[21] Under the Erdtree, commingling with the demi-humans was made possible.[22]
The old sap of the Erdtree becomes amber, wherein dwells a primordial life energy. In the time of Godfrey, the first Elden Lord, it was treasured as the most precious of jewels.[23] The Erdtree once flourished with abundance—yet it was only for a fleeting moment, as is the course of all life.[24] It was thought that the blessed sap of the Erdtree would drip from its boughs forever, but that age of plenty swiftly came to a close, and with time, the Erdtree became more an object of faith.[25]
Erdtree burial[]
Heroes of the Erdtree were granted Erdtree burial
- Main article: Erdtree Burial
Erdtree burial was an honor awarded to heroes as a proper death meant returning to the Erdtree.[26][27] The remains of such champions were deposited within the catacombs built around the great tree roots that once connected to the Erdtree.[28][29] Indeed there were once heroes abundantly blessed by the Erdtree who upon earning their honors simply died.[30] Statues of Rosus, Usher of Death, were erected in order to guide the dead who lose their way during their return to the Erdtree roots.[31]
On the Night of Black Knives, a stolen fragment of the Rune of Death was used to murder Godwyn the Golden. As a hero and the first demigod to die, Godwyn's body was buried deep beneath Leyndell in the Deeproot Depths overlooking the Nameless Eternal City. Although his soul has perished, his body did not, and his Erdtree burial enabled the Rune of Death to spread throughout the great tree roots, sprouting in the form of Deathroot across the Lands Between.[32] Deathroot violated the catacombs and gave rise to Those Who Live in Death, who refused the Erdtree's call to return.[33] At some point, either before or after the Elden Ring was shattered, the connection between the Erdtree and the great tree roots was severed.[28]
The Shattering[]
Golden Seeds were released when the Elden Ring was shattered
- Main article: The Shattering
Minor Erdtrees were considered to be the offspring of the Erdtree.[34] After the Elden Ring was shattered, golden seeds flew from the Erdtree and scattered across the Lands Between, as if life itself knew that its end had come.[35] It used to be believed that Erdtree seeds could not exist, as the Erdtree was once perfect and eternal.[36] Erdtree Avatars emerged following the shattering of the Elden Ring, determined to protect the withering Erdtree's offspring.[34] Illusory trees, or phantom trees, also grew from the scattered golden seeds.[35] Additionally, the Wrath of Gold incantation was discovered, and feared as a sign of the Erdtree's wrath.[37]
Queen Marika was imprisoned inside the Erdtree after she shattered the Elden Ring.[38] At some point following the shattering of the Elden Ring, the entrance to the Erdtree was blocked by impenetrable thorns, emblazoned with the seal of King Consort Radagon,[39] which prevent access to anyone outside.[40] The Flame of Ruin was capable of burning the Erdtree and destroying the impenetrable thorns, but doing so was long held to be the first cardinal sin.[41]
Present[]
After the defeat of Morgott, the Omen King, The Tarnished attempted to enter the Erdtree to repair the Elden Ring, become Marika's consort, and ascend as Elden Lord.[42] However, they were unable to enter due to the impenetrable thorns. The Tarnished then traveled to the Mountaintops of the Giants to rekindle the Flame of Ruin and burn the Erdtree, either by sacrificing Melina (as was her duty as the kindling maiden)[43] or by using the Frenzied Flame. This journey eventually led them to Crumbling Farum Azula, where the defeat of Maliketh, the Black Blade unbound the Rune of Death, enabling them to enter the burning Erdtree.
Notes[]
- The fate of the Erdtree is dependent on the player's ending choice.
- The Scadutree is the "shadow of the Erdtree."[44]
- Miquella's Haligtree was meant to succeed the Erdtree.[45]
Trivia[]
- In the Japanese version of Elden Ring, the Erdtree is called 黄金樹 (Ōgonju), which simply means "Golden Tree." Additionally, Finger Reader Enia refers to the Erdtree as 世界樹 (Sekaiju), meaning "World Tree" or "Yggdrasil."
- The Erdtree is evidently inspired by the World Tree motif found in various mythologies around the world.
- It may have also drawn inspiration from the Two Trees of Valinor featured in Tolkien's Legendarium.
Gallery[]
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References[]
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- External references
- ↑ "Elden Ring". Bandai Namco Entertainment. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024.
- ↑ Saltzman, Mitchell (June 17, 2021). "Elden Ring: The Big Hidetaka Miyazaki Interview - Summer of Gaming". IGN. Archived from the original on September 30, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2024. (PDF)
Hidetaka Miyazaki: "So first of all, in the world of Elden Ring, The Lands Between are blessed by the presence of the Elden Ring and by the Erdtree, which symbolizes its presence, and this has given grace or blessing to the people throughout the land, great and small. What this represented in them is this sort of golden light, or this golden aura, that's specifically shown in their eyes. And this symbolizes the blessing or the grace of the Erdtree."